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IACFS/ME Statement on the PACE Trial, reprinted with permission
[The IACFS/ME is the International Association for CFS/ME—an international association of researchers into ME/CFS]
by Fred Friedberg, PhD
President, IACFS/ME
February 24, 2011
The much publicized UK-based PACE trial (Lancet, Feb. 18th; see full text of article) reported positive outcomes for patients with CFS/ME who were treated with cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) or graded exercise therapy (GET) in comparison to a standard medical care condition or an adaptive pacing condition. The adaptive pacing condition was intended to help patients adjust their activity levels according to their available energy (based on envelope theory). The findings were similar to previous CBT and GET studies in CFS. This trial was unique in incorporating a pacing condition and recruiting a very large sample. That said, we have concerns about how the trial was reported.
We certainly support any effective treatment for CFS/ME, medical or behavioral. Behavioral interventions are helpful for a number of major medical conditions (cardiovascular disease, diabetes).
Notice about names
The Massachusetts ME/CFS & FM Association would like to clarify the use of the various acronyms for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Chronic Fatigue & Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) on this site. When we generate our own articles on the illness, we will refer to it as ME/CFS, the term now generally used in the United States. When we are reporting on someone else’s report, we will use the term they use. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other federal agencies, including the CDC, are currently using ME/CFS.
Massachusetts ME/CFS & FM Association changed its name in July, 2018, to reflect this consensus.